House of Cards
by Blue Turtle of AWESOMENESS
Summary: Imagine a world where you are trapped with your nemesis. Trapped in a world of pain with no escape. Trapped in a world where you know you have no-one. No-one but each other. Warnings for major torture and some horrible scenes...but there's angst, Mergana and general BAMFness involved, so you maaaaay want to give it a read! Co-written with RedDragon009.
1. Chapter 1

**Well hello there my committed readers! I am back with yet another tale. A tale of horror and of fright. **

**No, really. You've been warned.**

**This is set in the same era as my other stories (aka The Dark Before the Light). There will be a return story coming out soon, don't worry! It's going to be LOOOOONG. **

**But I'm not writing this alone. RedDragon009 is co-writing this with me. Not Beta-ing, but co-writing. GET IT RIGHT. So...here she is...the author who abandoned her stories but has RETURNED FROM THE DEAD...**

**_Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm excuse me. I never died._**

**Yeah but you haven't been on FanFic for everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! AND EVER AND EVER AND-**

**_And you'll just keep ever-ing for ever and ever until I stop you and tell you to explain this story._**

**And EVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER A-**

**_Just. Explain. The. Story._**

**Ok. Ok. Brace yourselves.**

**It's gory. It's mean. It brings in new and old characters. And they cannot escape death. NEVER BWA HA HA HA. **

**You will think we're twisted and you are correct. We do this stuff for fun.**

**And so...without much further ado...I give you the blood-curdling screams of...**

******THE HOUSE OF CARDS...**

**_*explodes*_**

***explodes also* **

* * *

There was an explosion of blood and flames before the creature stepped into sight.

They stumbled backwards, fear erupting in their eyes, their mouths falling open, swords clattering to the ground, spinning away from the gathering dark. The creature leered at them, hissing, spitting its lethal venom onto their trembling skin - and that wasn't the worst of it. The doom was not the monster. The doom was behind the monster. And unfortunately, that was their mission. But what made them fear the most was the fact the monster was not a monster at all.

They stared through the gloom, the trees casting shadows across their frightened faces. The creature roared, the very sound shaking the ground like thunder, nature seeming to shrink into itself in terror. Clouds raced across the storm-ridden skies, darkness seeming to split the earth in two.

And it came. A looming shadow, wrapped in a thick envelope of blindness, a being less than the meanest ghost, but so much more than the gift of life. Fear charged it, fed it, nurtured it. And the stench of fear transporting from these petty little men was gratifying. It stepped forwards, tasting blood on the bitter wind that licked through its talons like ice. It saw them grit their teeth, preparing to charge, pretending to brave, but the creature could smell their panic, almost taste their troubled blood already.

Ahh...it detected something...something deliciously terrified...and it slithered like a viper on the damp, leafy ground, towards a man in armour, whose hands were anything but steady, clutching a sword...he was looking too high. Why was it that evil was thought high, towering ferocious beasts? Sometimes - even when you don't know it - it is closer to the earth you stand on than you think...and it looked up at the trembling boy, waited a millisecond, and slithered up his nose and grasped his weak soul, its jaws clenching around the fast-beating heart and crushing it. The man died pathetically, in a shower of ichor and guts.

The other knights span around, seeing the body collapse into the dust, crimson spattering the dead leaves shrivelled on the ground. The creature roared again and they twisted back, caught off guard as it reared up, crashing down with the force of a gale as the storm broke around them. They fell back into formation, training kicking in as they raised their shields in a pathetic attempt to ward the monster off. It raised a claw, sweeping aside spears, crossbows in a wild rage. The knight on the end of the triangle screamed, his eyes widening in pure panic as his stomach burst open, the creature slashing past him as he fell to his knees, watching his own heart tumble in a flash of blood away from his body. He lived just long enough to see it crushed to nothing by the lashing tail.

At this, Leon knew that all security in this situation was useless as the clot spilt on the forest floor. The blood-curdling screams of another man choked the air, and he heard the splatter of vomit from a soul who had been foolish enough to watch. He knew that the knight's code was a load of crap. And that all bravery had been as abandoned as the hearts of the three good men. He felt his legs run, his mind at a loss of what had just happened. He heard other horrified footsteps running, slipping...escaping the terror that could not possibly be reality...

To hell with honour. Today it was the organ, that blood-pumping organ, that was vital.

* * *

**BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA *COUGH COUGH COUGH* That was a fail. But you see what we mean? We are EVIL.**

** _Very EVIL_**

**Very VERY EVIL! BWA HA HAA! Please leave a review about how sick we are. Ehehehehehe...**

**Until next time...*smirks and swishes cloak and disappears into the shadows***

_***explodes again... doesn't find that exciting enough, so disappears into the fire of doom***_

**FROM**

**Blue Turtle of AWESOMENESS **

_**and RedDragon009 **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Aw, hi all you beautiful people! *toothy grin* I'm back, to write all for you!**

_Wow you're feeling cheesy today_

**CHEESE! Omg, I am so hungry right now!**

_Omd (meaning oh my dragon) I'm so hungry too!_

**Omt (oh my turtle) You know what I am in the mood for?**

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_

**Oh yeah. Warm, gooey, crunchy, tomatoey...**

_***Together* PIZZA!**_

**Oh my turtle, I need some pizza. Or popcorn. I am in the mood for popcorn. **

_Same! I'm in the mood for popcorn...and pizza...and chocolate_

**Omt. I have it. A chocolate pizza with popcorn on top. **

_AND STRAWBERRIES_

**STRAWBERRIES! YES! Rich, juicy flavoursome strawberries...oh, my tummy need's food...hang on...STRAWBERRIES?**!

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_

**YEP**.

**_*together* FREYA!_**

**Omt! Freya...Merlin...don't we have a fic to post?**

_omd we do!_

**Right. Let's get to it. This is a very BROMANCEY chapter.**

_Awww_

**Have some relief from the boom boom splat last chappie.**

_ Boom boom splat boom boom splat *starts beatboxing*_

***rapping*  
Yeah, were sick,  
We"re awesome too!  
And here we have  
An update for yooooou!**

_*mad air drumming* cough cough... *awkward silence* umm..._

**Lets...just post this. **

_Yeah. Here we go..._

* * *

"Dammit!" Arthur shouted, punching the table so hard his knuckles split, blood seeping over his hand. "God dammit! That thing's been plaguing this land for weeks now, and you're telling me it's immortal?"

"S-sire...I...we tried everything in our power..." Leon stammered, sounding on the verge of tears. Merlin grasped his shoulder tenderly.

"Leon, you did admirably. And the information you have brought is very useful. Thank you," he said softly, and Leon looked up at him like a scared, lost puppy.

Arthur sighed. "How many deaths?"

It was Gwaine's turn to stand up. "Well, out of the eight we took, sire, only three of us returned."

"And the others?"

"Let's just say it wasn't very pretty."

Merlin winced inwardly, seeing the whirl of emotions clouding the king's face: anger, sadness, fear. He knew this look, and it wasn't a good one.

Arthur was raging up a storm. Merlin turned to him. "Arthur...calm down..."

"Calm down? Calm down? Five good men died because of an immortal shadow, and you are telling me to calm down?!"

"Arthur, they did everything in their power!"

"It wasn't good enough. I want it dead."

"It. Cannot. Be. Killed. You need to think..."

"Think?! What would you know about anything like this? You are being stupid - "

"_Stupid_? Me, the _stupid_ one?! I waited for so long for you, Arthur, for my _brother_ to return. I have seen many, many things, and you dare to call me stupid?"

"_How dare you!"_ Arthur spat, and Merlin's eyes widened as Arthur raised a gloved had and brought it down with a crack on Merlin's cheek.

Merlin felt his head snap to one side with a sickening crack, the side of his face smarting from the violent slap. He took a deep breath, not sure how to react to the king's temper, but before he had time to say anything, do anything, Arthur had stormed from the room. He glanced helplessly at the circle of knights before following his king, his friend.

Just before he could leave the room, however, Gwaine put a hand on his shoulder. "He hit you," he said, voice shaking with rage.

"Y-yeah, he did...I need to go and talk to him, Gwaine, I might be the only one who can..."

"Merlin?" The warlock looked up. "If he does it again, I will hit him back _thirty times_ harder."

A smile flickered on Merlin's face as he followed Arthur, his midnight blue bellowing out behind him.

Leon frowned. "Arthur never hits Merlin like that. Especially since he made him Court Sorcerer. It isn't right."

"Princess has had a rough time, I'll give him that," Gwaine said, tossing his hair and leaning against the table.

"Yeah, but..."

"Don't worry about it, Leon," Elyan put in, drumming his fingers against the back of the king's chair. "What Arthur needs right now is a friend, and, well, that's Merlin."

"So why did he, hit him, then?" Gwaine countered. "Friends shouldn't hit friends. Especially not my friends." he added under his breath. The other knights had no reply, instead falling into silence, recalling the terrible events the last days had brought.

* * *

"Arthur! Wait!" Merlin called after the swirling red cloak. No reply. He tried again, "Arthur! Wait! I need to talk to you!"

"Why would you want to?" Arthur asked quietly. Merlin froze when Arthur whipped around, and was vaguely surprised to see the hint of moisture in the royal's eyes.

"Because you're my friend, and you need to talk to somebody," Merlin said softly. Arthur slowly came closer.

His eyes flickered to Merlin's cheek. "I slapped you."

"Arthur..."

"I_ hit you_, Merlin! I slapped you! You can see _my_ handprint in your skin! I hurt you, and you are my brother! I don't know what came over me! I'm not worthy of your friendship!" Arthur cried, and he span on his heel and went to leave.

"Arthur, wait," Merlin called, and he half jogged to keep up with him, and when he did he span him around to face him. "You are troubled. But that does not mean you are not my friend." Yes, the side of his face did sting, but Arthur seemed more wounded than Merlin had been. They looked into each other's eyes, trying to see what the other was thinking, but in the end Arthur sighed and looked away sadly. Merlin put his arm around his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Arthur,"

"Why?" Arthur pushed him away, his tone angry once more. "Why are you sorry, Merlin? You have nothing to be sorry for! It's me who should be sorry!"

"No, Arthur. It wasn't your fault, what happened on the woods. Don't blame yourself."

"Yes it was!" Arthur almost shouted. A single tear rolled down his cheek, splashing onto his glistening armour. "I sent those men out there Merlin, I sent them to their deaths, I wasn't there to protect them, but I still made them do it. And... and then… and then I... I slapped you Merlin. I slapped you." He repeated, his head falling into his hands.

"No, Arthur. It wasn't your fault." Merlin echoed his own words as he pulled Arthur into a hug.

Arthur was unsure what to, standing awkwardly...but then, as he felt another sob rising, he returned the embrace, burying his head into Merlin's shoulder.

"I-it's me...I'm horrible..."

"No, no...shhhh..."

"I-I hit you...I hit you..."

"Shh...it's ok...you were not to blame..."

"But...but i-it was my hand that did it...!"

"But I forgive you. It's forgotten. I never blamed you...it's ok..."

Merlin felt his heart melt as his shoulder got damper. Arthur was more pained by the fact he had hurt him than the fact that he had lost some knights.

And Merlin cherished it. The noblemen hugged in the middle of the corridor, Arthur like a child, Merlin an older brother.

Suddenly, after a blissful five minutes, footsteps came down the corridor. "Finally!" Gwaine yelled happily. Arthur glared at him. Merlin grinned. Gwaine was unfazed, and ran towards them, arms outstretched.

"GROUP HUG!" he cried, and seemingly out of nowhere grabbed Leon and Percival, and as Gwen came down with Elyan down the corridor, she pulled him over to join in.

A few minutes later, a servant was walking down that same corridor, and dropped his tray in shock as the Court Sorcerer, King, Queen, and the closest knights of the Round Table all in a warm embrace. George's mouth dropped open, as a hand - probably belonging to Gwaine - pulled him into the hug.

* * *

**R&R! **


End file.
